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EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

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Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#171
post #125
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> as long as we don't need to be involved in their regulatory or legal regimes EU has such a bad name in these circles. As a EU citizen, I cherish these same regimes.

As a Swede I have a bunch of grievances with the EU but when I look at the US I can't help but feel how lucky I am to live on this side of the pond.

I am British, pro-Brexit, and still prefer France to the US as a neighbour. I would have always said that - its not just Trump.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#172

This would be Canada getting down leveled to the minor leagues. Yes there are a few issues with the US, but Canada is vastly better off playing on the world stage under the wings of the US than it would be as the EU’s “associate member.” The next phase of history is going the be China and the US and then everyone else scrambling for scraps.

Well, it's up for Canada to decide, right? RIGHT?

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#173

Good, if the middle power democracies don't align/work together they are going to get torn apart in the struggle between the US and China.

Errrrr...... this has nothing to do with the struggle between USA and China. It is 100% about Trump.

Trump is a symptom not the disease, when he's gone the people who supported him and voted for him still exist and another Trump-like figure is almost inevitable given they've basically ploughed and planted that field to grow the next one and who's to say NeoTrump isn't going to be smarter.

The other democracies can no longer count on the US as a stable ally the way we have in the past (whether that trust was misplaced is a matter of perspective).

Simply put, you did it twice, We can't rely on them not doing it again.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#174

> Canada's Bill C-22 Would Force Encryption Backdoors > Signal, Windscribe, and NordVPN say they'll pull out of Canada before building surveillance infrastructure. The biggest threat to encrypted communications in a Western democracy since Australia's 2018 law. https://stateofsurveillance.org/news/canada-bill-c22-lawful-... + > European Commission Revives Push for Encryption Backdoors in ProtectEU Strategy, Framing M…

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Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#175

I’m not sure this is a good thing for Canada. The EU feels like an incomplete experiment. Not strong enough to actually be a single market. But still able to create additional annoying regulations on top of nation level ones. The EU needs to be truly Federal to succeed economically. That might create uniform regulations with more uniform regulations and actually make Europe competitive.

[flagged]

We disagree.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#177

> Canada's Bill C-22 Would Force Encryption Backdoors > Signal, Windscribe, and NordVPN say they'll pull out of Canada before building surveillance infrastructure. The biggest threat to encrypted communications in a Western democracy since Australia's 2018 law. https://stateofsurveillance.org/news/canada-bill-c22-lawful-... + > European Commission Revives Push for Encryption Backdoors in ProtectEU Strategy, Framing M…

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From which country? I was from the US last time, Russia before that.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#178

If I’m Canada I look for a trade agreement rather than associate membership - no reason to put your eggs in one basket. As an American, I continue to be sad and tired that our current president is somehow allowed to unilaterally destroy a very successful and thriving trade partner via arbitrary tariffs that have already been ruled illegal and while it doesn’t make a damned bit of difference I’m sorry about it.

We have that trade agreement (CETA). Negotiated by the Trudeau gov't a long time ago.

Notably many member states (incl. France) have not fully ratified it. The majority of its benefits are in place but not all.

Which doesn't bode well for the actual on the ground reality of any "associate member status."

I expect it will be mostly symbolic/diplomatic. (Which is also fine)

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#179
post #92
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not if we kick off WW3 as a last ditch attempt to hold on to the old order ;)

You jest, but if you've ever seen a wounded animal fighting like mad for survival, I wouldn't be so confident that won't be the exact same things that's going to happen.

You don't have to look into the animal kingdom, history works too. No ruling empire has fallen silently and without conflict. Changing the world order always included an aggressive transfer of power

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#180
post #125
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> as long as we don't need to be involved in their regulatory or legal regimes EU has such a bad name in these circles. As a EU citizen, I cherish these same regimes.

As a Swede I have a bunch of grievances with the EU but when I look at the US I can't help but feel how lucky I am to live on this side of the pond.

Exactly. The EU has plenty of faults, but I don't see anything better. Improving on the EU is better than abandoning it.
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